Aquamarine

Pale blue to blue-green and colored by trace ferrous iron, aquamarine is the seawater-hued variety of beryl, valued for a clarity that often approaches flawlessness. The deepest stones, known as Santa Maria quality, come from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil's Minas Gerais, while Nigeria, Mozambique, Pakistan, and Madagascar supply further material. It crystallizes in the hexagonal system and reaches 7.5 to 8.0 on the Mohs scale, a durability that combines with its color to keep it among the most popular colored stones in fine jewelry. A moderately priced semi-precious gem, aquamarine is the traditional birthstone for March.

Physical & Optical Properties

Mohs Hardness 7,5 – 8,0
Specific Gravity 2,66 – 2,8
Refractive Index 1,57 – 1,592
Crystal System Hexagonal
Color blue
Birefringence 0,005
Dispersion 0,014
Pleochroism Dichroism: colorless to greenish bluish - blue to sky blue. Greenish-blue stones - distinct: yellowish-greenish - blue-green

Mohs Hardness

1 Talc 2 Gypsum 3 Calcite 4 Fluorite 5 Apatite 6 Orthoclase 7 Quartz 8 Topaz 9 Corundum 10 Diamond Aquamarine
Mohs hardness of Aquamarine shown against the ten reference minerals, from talc (1) to diamond (10).
Mohs Reference mineral Aquamarine
1 Talc
2 Gypsum
3 Calcite
4 Fluorite
5 Apatite
6 Orthoclase
7 Quartz
8 Topaz ●
9 Corundum
10 Diamond

Crystal System

a a c Hexagonal a = b ≠ c, α = β = 90°, γ = 120°

Value & Market

Price Tier Moderate ($50-500/ct)

Cultural Significance

Birthstone Month 3 (modern)

Treatments

Blue topaz: trichroism (weak to none): colorless - (pinkish) - bluish; Chelsea: may appear yellowish-greenish, grayish, bluish, pinkish. Synthetic spinel and synthetic quartz: Chelsea: pinkish to red - Blue Chart Gem Identification, Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, 2010, p 6 Synthetic aquamarine can be produced but is uneconomical. - Walter Schumann, Gemstones of the world, 2001, p 90 7.5 to 8Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) 2.66 to 2.80Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references 1.570 to 1.592Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references Uniaxial/-Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references 0.005 to 0.009Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references Dichroism: colorless to greenish bluish - blue to sky blue. Greenish-blue stones - distinct: yellowish-greenish - blue-greenHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) 0.014Michael O?Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) Blue, greenish-blueUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) Greenish blueHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Light blue, Fe2+ in the channels of the structure. Darker blue, Fe2+-O-Fe3+ intervalence charge transfer.W. William Hanneman, Pragmatic Spectroscopy For Gemologists (2011) InertHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) HexagonalHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Long-prismatic habit, occasional vertical striations and growth and etch figures on the prism faces.E.Ya. Kievlenko, Geology of gems (2003) Aquamarine information at mindat.org Afghanistan  Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Glas (2002) Blauwet et al. (1997) Glas (2002) Glas (2002) Brazil  Couto (2000) Menezes (2005) Cassedanne and Alves (1994) Kievlenko E.Ya., Geology of gems, 2003, p. 113 Cassedanne and Alves (1994) Cassedanne and Alves (1994) Menezes (2005) Cassedanne and Alves (1994) E.Ya. Kievlenko, Geology of gems, 2003, p. 113 Kievlenko E.Ya., Geology of gems, 2003, p. 113 [var: Blue Beryl (Maxixe)] Kievlenko E.Ya., Geology of gems, 2003, p. 113 Cassedanne and Alves (1994) Cassedanne and Alves (1994) Viana et al. (2002) Cassedanne and Alves (1994) Laurs (2004) Menezes (2005) Kievlenko E.Ya., Geology of gems, 2003, p. 113 R. Wegner and O. Moura (2000) Bhaskara-Rao (2002) Canada  Groat (2005), Wilson (2007) Groat (2005), Turner et al. (2007) China  Liu (2005) Tang et al. (2004), Liu (2005), Li (2009) Marshall et al. (2009) Finland  Lyckberg (2004, 2005), Wise (2005) India  Boehm (2000), Michelou (2006) Kazakhstan  Spiridonov (1998) Kenya  Cairncross (2005) MadagascarE.Ya. Kievlenko ( 2003) Geology of gems, p. 112 Laurs and Quinn (2002) Pezzotta (2001), Danet |(2007) E.Ya. Kievlenko, Geology of gems, 2003, p. 112 Mozambique  Schafer and Arlt (2000), Schappmann (2005), Cairncross (2005) Schafer and Arlt (2000), Schappmann (2005), Cairncross (2005) Schafer and Arlt (2000), Schappmann (2005), Cairncross (2005) Myanmar  Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Kyi et al. (2005), Hlaing (2009) Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Kyi et al. (2005) Kyi et al. (2005) Namibia  Jahn (2000), Jahn and Bahmann (2000), Glas (2002) Jahn (2000), Jahn and Bahmann (2000), Glas (2002), Laurs (2002) Jahn (2000), Jahn and Bahmann (2000) Cairncross et al (1998) Nepal  Nigeria  Kammerling et al. (1995) J. Micheou (2009) Lind et al. (1986) Kammerling et al. (1995) Pakistan  Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Hammer and Muhammad (2004) Hammer (2003, 2004) Hammer (2003, 2004) Hammer and Muhammad (2004) Hammer and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Blauwet and Muhammad (2004) Khan (1986) Russia  P. Lyckberg (2009) P. Lyckberg (2005) Hochleitner (2005) E.Ya. Kievlenko, Geology of gems, 2003, p. 116 Ref: E.Ya. Kievlenko, Geology of gems, 2003, p. 116 P. Lyckberg (2005) Sri Lanka  Dissanayake et al. (2000) Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738 Tajikistan  Skrigitil (1996) Ukraine  Koivula et al. (1993), Lyckberg (2005) USA  Mauthner (2008) Sinkankas (1997) Potucek (2005) Jarnot (2005) Sinkankas (1997) Potucek (2005) Wise (2005) Wise (2005) U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, Mineral Resources Data System: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia. Vietnam  Michelou (2006) Zambia  Mambwe and Sikatali (1994) Milisenda et al. (2000), Carranza et al. (2005) Zimbabwe  Cairncross (2005) Milisenda et al. (2000), Cairncross (2005) Milisenda et al. (2000), Cairncross (2005)

About Aquamarine

Aquamarine is the pale blue to blue-green gem variety of beryl, colored by trace ferrous iron, evoking the clear, serene hues of tropical ocean water. The finest deep blue stones—known as 'Santa Maria' quality—come from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil, though exceptional material is also found in Nigeria, Mozambique, Pakistan, and Madagascar. Its clarity, attractive color, and excellent hardness have made aquamarine one of the most popular colored gemstones in fine jewelry.

Science FYI Family

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Aquamarine?
Aquamarine is the pale blue to blue-green gem variety of beryl, colored by trace ferrous iron, evoking the clear, serene hues of tropical ocean water. The finest deep blue stones—known as 'Santa Maria' quality—come from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil, though exceptional material is also f
What is the hardness of Aquamarine?
Aquamarine has a Mohs hardness of 7.5 to 8.0, making it excellent for use in jewelry.
What color is Aquamarine?
Aquamarine is primarily Blue.
Where is Aquamarine found?
Aquamarine is found in Minas Gerais (Brazil).
How much does Aquamarine cost?
Aquamarine falls into the Moderate ($50-500/ct) price range. Prices vary based on color, clarity, cut, and origin.

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